VENTA BELGARVM Venta Belgarvm NNE (23) to Calleva (Silchester, Hampshire) SSW (11) to Clavsentvm (Bitterne, Hampshire) NW (14) to East Anton (East Anton, Hampshire) Iter XV: ENE (19) to Neatham SE (32) to Noviomagvs Regnorvm (Chichester, West Sussex) SW (12) to Nvrsling (Hampshire) W (22) to Sorviodvnvm Venta Belgarum - The Market Town of the Belgae "Below the Dobuni¹ are the Belgae² and the towns: Iscalis 16*00 53�, Aquae Calidae 17*20 53� and Venta 18*40 53�." Above extract from Ptolemy's Geography The Dobunni tribe inhabited Gloucestershire and Hereford & Worcester. The Belgae inhabited Hampshire and Avon.

Of the three names mentioned by Ptolemy the station Iscalis remains unidentified, Aquae Calidae literally 'the hot waters' can only be Aquae Sulis (Bath, Avon), and the final town mentioned is easily equated with Winchester. Winchester appears on three (out of fifteen) routes in Britain recorded in the Antonine Itinerary of the late second century: In Iter VII "the route from Chichester to London", Venta Belgarum occurs in the middle of the Itinerary 10 miles from Clausentum (Bitterne, Hampshire) and 22 miles from Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester, Hampshire). Iter XV is entitled "the route from Calleva to Isca", and details the journey from the Atrebates capital at Silchester in Hampshire and the civitas capital of the Dumnonii tribe at Exeter in Devon. Winchester appears near the beginning of this Itinerary, again as Venta Belgarum, 21 miles from Vindomis (Neatham, Hampshire) and 11 miles from Briga (Buckholt Farm, Horsebridge, Hampshire).

Iter XII is entitled "the route from Muridunum to Viroconium", and details the journey from Moridunum (Carmarthen, Dyfed, South Wales) and the capital of the Cornovii tribe at Wroxeter in the Midlands. Unfortunately this route has been corrupted at some time in antiquity, and a portion of Iter XII inserted at the beginning, so this third mention of Venta Belgarum may be safely ignored. The confusion was perhaps caused by the dimly recognised station near Honiton in Devon, which appears in Iter XV and shares the same name as the fort at Carmarthen in Iter XII, namely Moridunum. Winchester also appears in the seventh century Ravenna Cosmology as Venta Velgarom (R&C#41), this time listed between the unknown entries Onna and Armis. The name Venta Belgarum is an amalgam of the Welsh/Gaelic word venta meaning 'market or market town', and the determinative Belgarum meaning 'of the Belgae', denoting that Winchester was the chief town of this southern British tribe. ... The procurator of the weaving-house at Winchester in Britain.

..." Above quote from the Notitia Dignitatum of the 4th/5th century AD Epigraphic Evidence from Winchester The only inscription on stone recorded in the R.I.B. for Winchester is an altar dedicated to the Matres the 'Mothers' or mother goddesses (vide RIB 88 infra). This fine altarstone is now on display in the British Museum. Altarstone to the Mother Goddesses MATRIB ITALIS GERMANIS GAL BRIT ANTONIVS LVCRETIANVS BF COS REST "For the Mother Goddesses of Italy, the Germanies, Gaul and Britain, the Beneficiarius Consularis¹ Antonius Lucretianus restored [this temple]." (RIB 88; altarstone) A beneficiarius was a soldier excused normal duties in order to perform some specialised function, in this case serving on the staff of the consular governor.

Other Roman Sites in the Neighbourhood As elswhere in southern Britain, the area around this Roman town, the sixth largest in the province, is studded with Romano-British villas: Sparsholt (SU4130), Twyford (SU4824), King's Worthy (SU4833), Itchen Abbas (SU5234), Bramdean (SU6228) and West Meon (SU6324). In addition, the remains of substantial Roman buildings have also been identified at Upham (SU5422) Alresford (SU5833) and Micheldever (SU5337). See: The Towns of Roman Britain by John Wacher (2nd Ed., BCA, London, 1995) pp.291-301 & fig.132; The Roman Inscriptions of Britain by R.G. Collingwood and R.P. Wright (Oxford 1965). All English translations, including any inherent mistakes, are my own.

This page was last modified: 27/1/2016 Venta Belgarum (Winchester) - Vici.org Venta Belgarum (Winchester) Museum that tells the history of Winchester Roman Road between Winchester and Old Sarum Roman Road between Winchester and Old Sarum Villa at Twyford Villa at Twyford (ROMAN VILLA) Villa at Sparsholt Villa at Sparsholt (MONUMENT NO. 231909) Images This object was added by René Voorburg on 2012-03-18. Last update by Randal Gilbert on 2016-07-21. Persistent URI: . Download as RDF/XML ( explore Linked Data graph ), KML . Annotation available using the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license. Metadata available using the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication , unless it is explicitly stated otherwise. Line tracing by Randal Gilbert. Vici.org partners: The History of Winchester - Capital of Wessex By Ben Johnson | Comments Modern day visitors to Winchester in the county of Hampshire can’t help but soak in the history as they wander through the ancient streets of this small city.

Few however may realise that some of Winchester’s first settlers arrived there more than 2,000 years ago. The first permanent residents of Winchester appear to have arrived in the Iron Age, sometime around 150BC, establishing both a hill fort and also a trading settlement on the western edge of the modern city. Winchester would remain the exclusive home of the Celtic Belgae tribe for the next two hundred years or so. Shortly after the Romans landed at Richborough in Kent in AD 43, legionary soldiers with auxiliary troops marched across the whole of southern Britain capturing Iron Age hill forts when necessary, and imposing Roman rule upon the local population. Evidence suggests however, that Winchester’s Belgae tribe may well have welcomed the invaders in with open arms. The Begae’s hill fort appears to have fallen into disrepair many years before the Romans arrived. Additionally, the invading Romans did not even feel threatened enough to establish a military fort in the area from which they could control revolting natives. The Romans did however start to build their own ‘new town’ at Winchester, known as Venta Belgarum, or market place of the Belgae.

This Roman new town developed over the centuries of occupation to become the region’s capital, with streets laid out in a grid pattern to accommodate the splendid houses, shops, temples and public baths. By the 3rd century the wooden town defences were replaced with stone walls, at which time Winchester extended to almost 150 acres, making it the fifth largest town in Roman Britain. Along with other Romano-British towns, Winchester started to decline in importance around the 4th century. And things appear to have come to an almost abrupt end when in AD407 , with their Empire crumbling, the last Roman legions were withdrawn from Britain. In a relatively short period of time after this withdrawal, these once important bustling towns and cultural centres appear to have been simply abandoned. For the rest of the fifth century and early sixth century, England entered what is now referred to as the Dark Ages. It was during these Dark Ages that the Anglo-Saxons became established in southern and eastern England. From around AD430 a host of Germanic migrants arrived in England, with Jutes from the Jutland peninsula (modern Denmark), Angles from Angeln in southwest Jutland and Saxons from northwest Germany.

Over the next hundred years or so the invading kings and their armies established their kingdoms. Most of these kingdoms survive to this day, and are better known as the English counties; Kent (Jutes), East Anglia (east Angles), Sussex (south Saxons), Middlesex (middle Saxons) and Wessex (west Saxons). It was the Saxons that referred to a Roman settlement as a ‘caester’, and so in west Saxon Wessex, Venta Belgarum became Venta Caester, before being changed to Wintancaester and eventually corrupted to Winchester. From AD 597 the new Christian faith began to spread through southern England, and it was in the middle of the 7th century that the first Christian church, the Old Minster, was built within the Roman walls of Winchester. A few years later in 676 the Bishop of Wessex moved his seat to Winchester and as such the Old Minster became a cathedral. Although born at Wantage in Berkshire , Winchester’s most famous son is Alfred ‘The Great’ . Alfred (Aelfred) became ruler of the west Saxons after he and his brother defeated the Danish Vikings at the Battle of Ashdown.

In 871 at the tender age of 21, Alfred was crowned King of Wessex and established Winchester as his capital. To protect his kingdom against the Danes, Alfred organised the defences of Wessex. He built a navy of new fast ships to defend against attack from the sea. He organised the local militia into ‘rapid reaction forces’ to deal with raiders from the land, and started a building programme of fortified settlements across England from which these forces could gather to defend. Saxon Winchester was therefore rebuilt with its streets laid out in a grid pattern, people were encouraged to settle there, and soon the town was flourishing again. As befits a capital in the building programme that followed, both New Minster and Nunnaminster were founded. Together, they quickly became the most important centres of art and learning in England. In 1066 following the Battle of Hastings , King Harold’s widow, who was staying at Winchester, surrendered the town to the invading Normans. Shortly after this William the Conqueror ordered the rebuilding of the Saxon royal palace and the construction of a new castle to the west of the town.

The Normans were also responsible for demolishing the Old Minster Cathedral and starting the construction of the new present cathedral on the same site in 1079. Throughout the early Middle Ages Winchester’s importance as a significant cultural centre was reaffirmed time and again, as witnessed by the number of royal births, deaths and marriages that took place in the town. Winchester’s fortunes however, began to decline during the 12th and 13th centuries as power and prestige gradually shifted to the new capital in London , including the relocation of the royal mint. Disaster struck Winchester in 1348-49 when the Black Death arrived, brought in from mainland Europe by migrating Asian black rats. The plague returned again in earnest in 1361 and at regular intervals for decades afterwards. It is estimated that more than half the population of Winchester may have been lost to the disease. The fortunes of Winchester through much of the Middle Ages derived from the woollen industry , as locally produced wool was first cleaned, woven, dyed, fashioned into cloth and then sold on.

But faced with increased domestic competition, this industry also declined, so dramatically in fact that it is estimated that by 1500 the town’s population had fallen to around 4,000. This population was to decline even further when in 1538-39 Henry VIII dissolved the city’s three monastic institutions , selling off their lands, buildings and other possessions to the highest bidder. During the English Civil War Winchester changed hands several times. Perhaps through their close association with royalty however, the locals support was initially with the king. In one of the final acts of that long and bloody conflict Cromwell ’s men destroyed Winchester Castle, preventing it from falling into royalist hands ever again. With a population of around 35,000, Winchester is a now a quiet genteel market town. As you walk through its streets today however, you can’t help noticing, with one major and many smaller reminders, that you are walking through what was once the ancient capital of England. Getting here Winchester is easily accessible by both road and rail, please try our UK Travel Guide for further information. Roman Sites Try our interactive map of Roman Sites in Britain to browse our database of visible Roman remains.

Anglo-Saxon Sites in Britain Explore our interactive map of Anglo-Saxon Sites in Britain for nearby sites. Cathedrals in Britain Browse our interactive map showing the Christian Cathedrals of Britain . Museums View our interactive map of Museums in Britain for details of local galleries and museums. Castles in England Try our interactive map of Castles in England to browse our huge database, including further detailed information concerning Winchester Castle. Venta Belgarum | Nicola Slade's Winchester Mysteries Nicola Slade's Winchester Mysteries 7 I was about twelve the first time I fell in love. His name was Marcus Aquila, and he was the hero of Rosemary Sutcliff’s immortal, The Eagle of the Ninth. I know I’m in good company, Lindsey Davis, creator of the bestselling Falco, Roman detective, series, is on record as having said that reading Rosemary Sutcliff’s bestseller set her on the road to Rome. I didn’t actually read the book first. Back in the dark ages when I was a little girl we used to listen to Children’s Hour on the radio and I first encountered Marcus Aquila when the BBC produced the book as a serial.

I knew a bit about Rome, we’d ‘done’ it in history, but it hadn’t made much impression, but when I listened to the play – as I said, I was probably about twelve at the time – I fell in love for the first time: with Marcus, with the gloriously romantic story of the Lost Legion of the Ninth, and with the idea of Rome itself – and particularly the idea of Romans in Britain. I remember getting an A- in History at about that time for a short play about the Romans leaving Britain. It was probably on the lines of: ‘Ave, Marcus,’ (who else?), ‘I hear you’re leaving Britannia then?‘ and so on… I haven’t really toyed with the idea of setting a book in the Roman era, so many other authors have done it so well anyway, but in the new book, ‘A Crowded Coffin’, due out next year, I have managed to squeeze in a lot of Roman history. I did, however, resist the temptation to ‘borrow’ Marcus Aquila so I’ve made up my own Roman for the story. What has this to do with Winchester?

Well, it used to be called Venta Belgarum, so there’s the clue and there’s plenty of evidence of Romans around the city. However, if you want to find out more about the background to Marcus Aquila’s life after his discharge from the army, check out Silchester – and go to see it on a fine day so you can walk round the walls. If you’re a fan of the book or just fancy a day out in the country, you won’t be disappointed. For fans of Rosemary Sutcliff take a look here: & Further literary and historical crushes will turn up in later posts! Kingdoms of British Celts - Belgae / Caer Gwinntguic Belgae (Britons) The Celtic Belgae were centred on Venta Belgarum (modern Winchester) in the county of Hampshire, and perhaps extending into Somerset and Avon. They were neighboured to the north-east by the Atrebates , to the south-east by the Regninses , and to the west by the Durotriges and Dobunni .

Like their Atrebatean neighbours, they were probably a Belgic tribe from the North Sea or Baltics, part of the third wave of Celtic settlers in Britain . The name Venta Belgarum came from 'venta', meaning main market or market town, which was used to denote a tribal capital, and 'belgarum', meaning 'of the Belgae'. (See the map of most of Europe's tribes around the first centuries BC and AD to view the tribe's location in relation to all other Celts.) It is likely that the Belgae formed part of the tribal domains of Atrebates from at least 20 BC, and may have done so from the latter's probable founding as a kingdom by Commius. It also seems possible that the Belgae were not a tribe at all, and may not even have been Belgic before the Roman conquest. There is the possibility that they were the leftovers of previous Celtic settlers who had not migrated farther west or north when the Atrebates and their kin arrived. Given the very scant evidence, it is hard to draw any definite conclusion either way. If they were Belgic, they may have been formed of odds and ends of various Belgic tribes that had migrated from Gaul to escape Roman occupation.

A large amount of middle second century BC coinage (Gallo-Belgic A) that has been attributed to the Ambiani tribe has been discovered in parts of southern Britain. While this may be due only to trading connections, it may also be due to Ambiani settlers in the territory. When it comes to determining the meaning of the name Belgae (pronounced bel-jay), Pokorny gives these roots in Gaulish from a proto- Indo-European base, with the latter's 'bhelg̑h-' and 'bhelg̑h-' descending into Gaulish as 'bolg-' and 'bulga'. 'Bhelg̑h-' means to swell up. But the crucial word from this root does not seem to come from Gaulish. Instead it seems to stem from the Anglo-Saxon verb, 'belgan', meaning to swell up, or be angry This supports the contention that the Belgae were a Celtic- Germanic mix. The Irish description of Cucullaine when his madness is on him comes to mind, swelling up with rage, transforming from a normal man to a monster... apparently borrowed from the Irish for use in the Incredible Hulk.

(Additional information by Edward Dawson, from The Oxford History of England: Roman Britain, Peter Salway, and from External Link: Indo-European Etymological Dictionary , J Pokorny.) mid-200s BC A large number of Gallo- Belgic A coins are to be found in southern Britain at this time or soon afterwards. This suggests heavy trade with the Ambiani tribe in northern Gaul, but also the probability that Ambiani have settled in Hampshire, possible as the earliest representatives of the Belgae themselves. c.90 - 60 BC Gallo- Belgic C coins, less than previously, can be found which are tentatively identified with Diviciacus of the Suessiones . Finds are concentrated amongst the Cantii , but can be found as far west as the Sussex coast, on the borders with the Belgae lands.

Shown here is a gold Gallo-Belgic quarter stater of the C-type, which can be dated between 80-60 BC, at least a couple of decades before the first of Julius Caesar's expeditions to Britain 51 BC Commius of the Gaulish Atrebates arrives in Britain , bringing with him just his own retainers, survivors of a heavy defeat in Gaul. The size and strength of the Atrebates tribe he joins in Britain is unknown. They certainly occupy their own territory in this period, and govern the Belgae and Regninses , who may all be constituent parts of the same tribe, but how much significance they hold is unclear. They may not even be formed into a single tribal kingdom until Commius becomes their king, although it does seem likely that many Belgic refugees find their way here during this period. AD 43 Still a subsidiary part of the kingdom of the Atrebates , the Belgae appear not to possess a single tribal cohesion. This probably makes them an easy conquest by the Romans under the command of Governor Aulus Plautius.

Part of the territory of the Atrebates is reorganised into the Roman client kingdom of the Regninses (which possibly includes the Belgae). It is ruled by Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, who may be the son of the last native Atrebatean king, Verica. 43 - 80? Roman client king of Atrebates vassals, the Regninses & Belgae. 44 Vectis Insula (the Isle of Wight) may be a Belgae possession, although this cannot be confirmed. Now it is conquered by Roman troops under the command of Vespasian. c.80? Direct rule under the Romans follows the death of Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, client ruler of the Regninses , and perhaps the Belgae too. The tribal territory is later organised into the civitates (administrative districts within a Roman province) of the Atrebates , Regninses and, again, possibly the Belgae. The latter are governed from Venta Belgarum (Winchester).

It has been suggested (by Vivien Swan and Anthony King) that the Belgae may have strong anti-Roman sentiments (not surprising if they have been chased out of Gaul by Roman conquests), and that their lands may be resettled by Belgic peoples soon after the conquest of Britain . The immediate post-Conquest pottery of the Oare/Savernake area is made by Belgic potters who follow the Roman army as it moves westwards. It raises the possibility that the whole of the 'Belgae' population is moved in from somewhere further east, with the indigenous people being resettled. c.140s Ptolemy confirms the location of the Belgae, and ascribes to them the towns of Aquae Calidae ('The Hot Waters' otherwise known as Aquae Sulis, modern Bath in Somerset), Iscalis (location uncertain, but placed by Ptolemy at the mouth of the River Axe, near Bawdrip in Somerset), and Venta Belgarum. The last is the principal tribal centre but is given no special attribution. A bank and ditch is built around it during this century.

Other settlements include Abona (Sea Mills, Avon) a port which serves Aquae Sulis and which is located on the Severn Estuary, and Sorviodunum (Old Sarum in Hampshire), an Iron Age hill fort which has been re-used by the Romans as a posting station. 3rd century A stone wall is added to the defensive bank and ditch around Venta Belgarum. By this period the city contains many fine Roman buildings, including temples and a forum, and is the fifth largest city by area in Roman Britain . Two cemeteries exist, one outside the northern gate and one to the east. It is probably in this century that Aquae Sulis gains defensive walls, in common with many cities in Britain. The road junction to the north of the temple complex is left outside the walls, and the area within them is progressively developed, suggesting occupation is concentrated behind the defences. However, there is some development along the roadside to the north, along with a cemetery which continues to be used. The baths begin to decline in the late fourth century, but the springs continue to be used. 4th century By this period another settlement can be found at Clavsentum (Bitterne in Hampshire).

It is a fortified port which serves Venta Belgarum. By the 340s, development work comes to a halt in Venta, part of a general decline in Roman cities at this time, and bastions are added to the town wall as the defences are beefed up. At the same time there is evidence of alien elements in the population which grave goods and burial rites suggest are of South German origin. These may be laeti, barbarians settled in the area of the city to aid in its defence. The Roman city of Venta Belgarum was apparently prosperous and well-sited - and also extremely well built as parts of it still stand almost two thousand years later 5th century By the fifth century the Romano-British Belgae have regained some level of independent control in the form of the postulated territory of Caer Gwinntguic . The territory may only be an administrative one at first, perhaps developing later into an independent entity as central authority in Britain fades. The city of Aquae Sulis emerged as Caer Baddan , but it now falls under the administrative control of Caer Gloui , not Venta Belgarum.

Caer Gwinntguic (Venta Belgarum) From its regional capital at the Roman town of Venta Belgarum (Winchester in Hampshire), the British territory of the Belgae reasserted some form of independence in the early fifth century (if not before). The territory shared a long northern border with Caer Celemion , and also bordered Rhegin to the south-east, Inis Vectis to the south, Dumnonia to the west, and Caer Baddan to the north-west. The region was tasked with defending the westernmost section of the Saxon Shore in the fifth century, and Saxon laeti were probably hired and settled on the south coast for this very reason, arriving in the first half of the fifth century (archaeology confirms this). Their role may have become important in the territory's later years, either as a key part of its defence or as its later enemy (either way, it seems that they may have played a role in forming the name used here, Caer Gwinntguic). In the mid-fifth century the political situation suddenly changed.

The British central authority was locked in civil war, and the country was struck by plague and subjected to a barbarian sacking from coast to coast. Sacking swiftly turned to conquest, and parts of the south coast were settled by Jutes who called themselves the Meonware . Edward Dawson breaks down the origins of the Gwinntguic name as follows, pointing out that 'gwinnt' (or more usually 'gwent') is a typical late pronunciation of 'venta'. As for 'guic', there was a strong Celtic habit of transforming a 'w' into a 'gw' (or 'gu'). One very well known example of this is the Votadini tribe. That name underwent a fairly standard alteration from 'v' (or sometimes 'w') to 'gu' and then to 'g'. In the case of '-guic', this starts with 'gu'. Take off the older 'g' sound and it becomes 'wic', which was well known in Anglo-Saxon English as a trading centre (such as Ipswich, Norwich, Lundenwic, and Hamptonwic - now Southampton). Saxons were often settled just outside the walls of the city they were being hired to protect.

They would have obtained their food and goods from the city's traders and, in the case of Venta Belgarum, and perhaps only speaking a little Latin, could have pronounced 'Gwent' or 'Gwinnt' as 'Wentawic'. Extending the hypothesis a little further, the locals could have picked up on the Saxon variation of the city's name and adopted it, perhaps in the later days when virtually all communication from outside had been cut off and the Romano-Britons and Saxons were now brothers-in-arms on an equal footing. The recycled name could have been rendered by the Romano-British as 'wenta wic', or 'gwent gwic'. The Historia Brittonum labels the city Caer Guin Truis. (Additional information by Edward Dawson.) c.420s - 430s In the first half of the century there is a second settlement of barbarians in or around the civitas.

Again they are probably laeti who are added to the city's defensive forces now that the presence of Roman troops is a thing of the past (although ex-Roman army troops almost certainly remain in places, dedicated to defending their homes and families rather than owing any loyalty to the now-distant empire). This time the new arrivals are from North Germany, almost certainly Saxons . Their pottery in the city antedates the arrival of the general wave of Saxon invaders by over a century. fl 440s Recorded by St Germanus. 446 St Germanus' second visit to Britain sees off the last of the Pelagians and confirms Elafius' subjects in the Catholic faith of the Roman Church . Elafius himself is clearly a Pelagian supporter until the visit, and by inference may be a supporter of Vortigern's pro- Celtic faction in Britain. Germanus goes on to restore Cadell Ddyrnllwg to the throne of the Pagenses in the West Midlands.

c.450 - 455 Jutes from the Cantware group of invaders, or related to them, settle to the west of modern Southampton, while the Meonware (more Jutes) settle to the immediate east of Southampton Water, possibly threatening the territory's southern border. They absorb, or are absorbed by, elements of the Saxon laeti who have been there since the beginning of the century and perhaps because of this integration with settled Saxons and indigenous Britons , they establish peaceful relations with Venta Belgarum. Further settlements are established on Inis Vectis, which may have been a possession of the Belgae before the Roman invasion and may still be a possession of their descendants. 477 Newly arrived Saxons under ï¿½lle land at Selsey on the south coast (modern West Sussex) and beat off the Britons of Rhegin who oppose their landing, driving them to take refuge in the great forest called Andredesleag (The Weald). Suddenly, the southern Saxon Shore has been breached in a far more major way than the arrival of the Meonware had threatened and Venta Belgarum is mainly cut off from the southern coast.

By this time the economic basis for the city's existence has disappeared. Its population has dwindled and the remaining inhabitants are developing a siege mentality in the face of increasing Saxon encroachment from the east. 480s - 490s This is the probable period in which the traditional twelve victorious battles of Arthur are fought. In reality, although many of the battles seem to reflect actual events, it is likely that they are spaced out over a greater length of time, and are undertaken by multiple British leaders (most especially Ambrosius Aurelianus). One of those battles takes place at the fort of Guinnion (Venta Belgarum). If invading Saxons have managed to penetrate this far inland then it may be a shocking occurrence. Alternatively it could instead be a revolt by Germanic laeti who are already settled in the region... or possibly an early effort by Cerdic. ? - 495? Possible Belgae magistrate before conquering West Seaxe ?

c.495 - c.525 The south gate of Venta is blocked in two stages, possibly in response to the settlement of the Meonware or more probably due to the founding of Cerdic's kingdom which eventually becomes that of the West Seaxe . The territory's defences force the West Seaxe to advance instead towards the less well-defended west country, but the settlement at Clavsentum (Bitterne), close to the Solent, has been lost. In fact, given the reasonable probability that Cerdic himself is of noble British birth and may hold a position of authority in the country, he could well be a magistrate of the Belgae before his rebellion in 495. The medieval King's Gate in Wincheter (Venta) was built over the site of the Roman south gate around the year 1300, eight hundred years after the original was blocked up By this time the city has become isolated from Dumnonia in the west, and Rhegin to the south-east has already fallen, so Venta's world is narrowing. The Romano-British population is much reduced from a century before, with many probably having migrated west while they still could.

The core population that remains could well be balanced equally between Romano-British warriors and their families and the Saxon laeti and their families (given that at least some of the latter have been there for up to six generations). It is probably in this period that the territory's name of Gwinntguic replaces the city's name of Venta, as explained above. ? - 508 Killed by the West Seaxe . 508 Cerdic's West Seaxe defeat Natanlaod's Britons in the area of Southampton Water. Could Natanleod be a rival British chieftain or Roman -style official (perhaps of Caer Gwinntguic) who is vying for power with Cerdic or attempting to defend Britain's shores? Having established a beachhead and killed the (possibly) legitimate governor or ruler, Cerdic may be the only hope in the region for strong governance, with the result that Britons, Saxons and Jutes join him. The victory probably completes Gwinntguic's isolation from the very south coast that it had been expected to protect at the start of the century.

552 Caer Gwinntguic falls to the West Seaxe , making its northern neighbour, Caer Celemion , very vulnerable on its less well-defended southern border. The city is not fully abandoned. The Saxons who have lived there since the early fifth century and even before that probably remain, perhaps even with the surviving Romano-Britons, who are virtually kin by now, and certainly closer in relation than the new conquerors. In time the city becomes Wintanceastre (Winchester), capital of the West Seaxe kingdom from 590 and the seat of the bishop of Wessex from 676. Category:Venta Belgarum - Wikimedia Commons Category:Venta Belgarum Jump to: navigation , search English: Venta Belgarum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia Superior . Today it is known as Winchester and is situated in the English county of Hampshire . Media in category "Venta Belgarum" The following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total.

British Kingdoms of the South Part 5 Lost Kings Part 5: Uncertain Kingdoms There are a series of regions, or territories, in the British south-east that get the most fleeting of mentions in various sources, with tantalising glimpses given of some of the possible kingdoms that existed there in the short gap between post-Roman administration and Anglo-Saxon domination. Brief mentions in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles give a vague picture of how the war was going, and centres of British resistance can often be deduced from the location of these battles, and from archaeological evidence. Caer Gwinntguic Centred on Caer Gwinntguic (Roman Venta Belgarum in the tribal lands of the Belgae , modern Winchester in Hampshire), a pocket of British resistance fought a hard war against the West Saxons here, aided by and perhaps politically linked to Caer Celemion. Both held out, semi-isolated in an increasingly Saxon-dominated landscape, forcing West Saxon advances to head for the north and west. Their eastern border would have been largely protected by the huge swathe of forest that reached into Kent.

That Winchester had some sort of paramilitary administrative status at this period is also suggested by the presence of some unusual burials in the Lankhills cemetery, which shows funerary practices with a military context and accompanying equipment which was standard late-Roman army issue. At Winchester itself, the main south gate of the Roman city, pointing towards the West Saxons, was so effectively blocked in two stages during the fifth and sixth centuries by walling and a ditch dug across the road, that all traffic from the south was forced to use the minor Kingsgate further to the east. To emphasise the degree of change forced on the city by this, even after it was conquered the main extramural suburb developed outwards from Kingsgate rather than the original south gate. Before it was put out of use in this drastic way the south gate road would have been the direct route between Caer Gwinntguic and the late Roman fortress at Clausentum (modern Bitterne) nine miles away near the mouth of the Itchen, close to the Solent. It seems as if there came a moment in time when the rulers of Caer Gwinntguic and Clausentum were on opposite sides of an unrecorded conflict.

Not far to the west of Winchester, there are strong suggestions that Ambrosius Aurelianus possessed "the stronghold of Ambrosius" remembered in modern Amesbury (Saxon Ambresbyrig, north of Salisbury and west of Andover). This could have formed the easternmost part of Ambrosius' Gloucester power base near Caer Celemion's western border. The sub-Roman ruler in Caer Gwinntguic in the 440s may have been Elafius , but the names of no other leaders were recorded. It seems likely that the region fell to the West Saxons in 552, when they conquered Searoburh (Old Sarum), taking the whole of Wiltshire in the process. Winchester was a major centre of West Saxon authority from the moment it was taken, a usage which could have begun in late Roman times as part of the administrative structure of the Saxon Shore. Caer Lerion This region was probably governed from the modern city of Leicester, the first major stop south on the Roman Foss Way from Caer Lind Colun .

Its Roman name was Ratae Coritanorum, and it served as the tribal capital of the Coritani, but little is known of this area. It must have fallen very early in the Angle advance eastwards out of Caer Went , far earlier than some of the territories around it (especially when compared to the longer-lived Cynwidion to the south). It is possible that it did not outlive the existence of the so-called 'Middle Britain' region, and so never had its own local rulers. By AD 500 the Middil Engle were heavily infiltrating this region in the form of the Elge, Spaldingas, Herstingas, Undalum, and Iclingas . Middle Britain had ceased to exist and whatever local rule may have existed had been swept away. One proposal is that Caer Lerion was administered by Linnuis, to its immediate north. As this territory apparently passed peacefully into Angle hands at some point between 460 and 480,it seems likely that Caer Lerion would have followed.

The remains of the Roman bath house at Leicester looking in the direction of the Jewry Wall Image ï¿½ David Evans Caer Lundein Two possibilities for minor British kingdoms present themselves here, Caer Mincip (Roman Verulamium, replaced by the nearly settlement of St Albans in Hertfordshire which was named after the circa AD 301 martyr) & Caer Lundein (Londinium or London, founded by the Romans on the north bank of the Thames, and based on an earlier Celtic settlement dated to circa 500 BC). The former is not mentioned by the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, but the latter is certainly an important base of operations in the fight to re-take Ceint during the mid-fifth century. As with Calchwynedd (former Cynwidion ) and Caer Colun , there are very few Anglo-Saxon remains here, which suggests that a sub-Roman influence was managing to hold them off until the late sixth century. Certainly, Saxons had taken the region to the south, named the Suther-ge by the new occupiers. Towards the end of its British possession, Caer Lundein may well have been absorbed by Calchwynedd.

If this was so, it was not for long. Evidence points to it being very run down and perhaps totally abandoned for more than a generation, and it was not in British hands by AD 600, when the Augustinian mission was refused permission by the East Saxon royal family to establish a bishop's seat there. The capture of four towns along the Icknield Way in 571 suggest this as a likely date for the fall of the whole Londinium region. Caer Went Not to be confused with the western Caer Went, which evolved into Gwent . This eastern territory of the Iceni has the name of its capital, Roman Venta Icenorum (Caistor-by-Norwich, more often known as Caistor St Edmunds), tentatively adopted as that of the Romano-British kingdom or administrative region which followed. Never the success of other cantonal capitals, Venta became increasingly vulnerable to Teutonic raids from the third century, and well-made protective ramparts were built around it from 240 - 275.

Archaeological digs have proved that here, as elsewhere along the eastern shore, Anglian and Saxon settlers are to be found in small communities dating at least a century before 450, so they were doubtless hired as laeti to aid the British defence of the area. The evidence also proves that Caer Went's capital ended its life as a deserted ruin, and remains of a possible massacre have been found nearby (although it cannot be confirmed as such, and may be the result of the clearance of an earlier cemetery). The Anglian North and South Folk were becoming established by the end of the fifth century, and any British power at Caer Went seems to have terminated around the same time, perhaps as early as AD 500, with formalised Anglian rule under the East Angles taking place in around 575. Popular Publications • Winchester City Council Email your order, or visit the City Museum to purchase. 1. Venta Belgarum – The Roman Town of Winchester £3.75 inc p + p. Explore Roman Winchester with this souvenir guide based on exhibits on display in the Venta Gallery at the Winchester City Museum. 25pp, richly illustrated in full colour. 2.

Wintanceaster – Saxon & Medieval Winchester £3.75 inc. p + p. Find out more about Saxon & Medieval Winchester with this souvenir guide based on exhibits on display in the Wintanceaster Gallery at the Winchester City Museum. 25pp, richly illustrated in full colour. By Geoff Denford. 3. Winchester – Into the Modern Age £3.75 inc. p + p. Review the recent history of Winchester with this souvenir guide based on exhibits on display in the Winchester Gallery of the Winchester City Museum. 25pp, richly illustrated in full colour. By Tye Brisbane. SPECIAL - Museums Guide Pack £7.99 inc. p + p. Special boxed set of all three City Museum guidebooks - Venta Belgarum, Wintanceaster, and Winchester - for a discounted price 4. Westgate Souvenir Guide £3.75 inc. p + p. Explore the full story of Winchester's last surviving main gateway, and learn more about exhibits currently on display. 25pp, richly illustrated in full colour. 5. Treasures of Hyde Abbey £4.99 inc. p + p.

If you missed the show-stopping exhibition in 2010, don't worry - this beautifully designed guidebook encapsulates the best of the exhibition to tell you all you need to know. 21pp, fully illustrated. 6. Fittings from an 18th Century Pharmacy £3.25 inc. p + p. Reprinted from Post-Medieval Archaeology, this article describes the history and fittings of Hunt's the Chemist, an eighteenth-century pharmacy whose interior is now reconstructed on the ground floor of the City Museum. 29pp, illustrated. By Elizabeth Lewis & William Boorman. 7. Old Winchester Shops £1.75 inc. p + p. Reconstructed Victorian and Edwardian shops can be found on the ground floor of the Winchester City Museum. Read all about the quaint and romantic shops of old Winchester and explore a vanished world with this leaflet. 10pp, fully illustrated. By Tye Brisbane. 8. Weights and Measures of the City of Winchester £2.00 inc. p + p. The City of Winchester is fortunate enough to have in its collections the oldest surviving set of standard weights, the oldest standard yard measure and a fine collection of other ancient weights and measures.

Find out more about the historic association of the name "Winchester" with English measures of capacity. 14pp, fully illustrated. 9. Ice to Iron - Prehistoric Peoples in Hampshire £3.75 inc. p + p Discover Winchester's prehistoric past with this guide, examining the human activity in the area from the first hunter-gatherers to the arrival of the Romans. 45pp, richly illustrated. 10. Historical Map Of Winchester About 1800 £10.99 inc p + p A brand-new project from the Winchester Excavations Committee and the Historic Towns Trust, showing major medieval and later buildings, places of historic interest and land use around the year 1800. With an introduction and explanatory gazetteer. Full colour. 11. Nunnaminster – A Saxon & Medieval Community of Nuns £3.25 inc p + p A short guide to the results of archaeological investigation fo the site of Nunnaminster and St. Mary's Abbey, on the site of the present Guildhall. This booklet tells the story of Nunnaminster and St.

Mary's Abbey, and something of the way of life of the community of nuns who lived there. 30pp, illustrated. By G.D. Scobie & K.E. Qualmann. 12. Walking through the Iron Age - A guide to Iron Age sites & landscapes in the Winchester Area £2.25 inc p + p A guide to four walks around Iron Age sites in the Winchester area as well, giving a brief background to the history and archaeology of the period. 8pp, colour. 13. Politics and Printing in Winchester 1830-1880 £2.00 inc p + p Rival parties kept local printers busy at election time in Victorian England. Find out more about the Stopher Collection of scurrilous posters, libellous handbills and broadsides of satirical verses and parodies, 30 of which are reproduced in this vintage publication from 1980. 48pp, black and white, illustrated. 14.

The Lost Theatres of Winchester, 1620-1861 £2.00 inc p + p Only three copies left of this vintage off-print examining Winchester's early theatres, and the forgotten visits of celebrated stage giants from long ago. 108pp,black and white, illustrated. Godson’s Map of Winchester, 1750 £3.25 inc p + p A reprint of Godson's 1750 Map of Winchester, suitable for framing, showing the old city before its eighteenth and nineteenth-century expansion. A must-have for any Winchester resident or local history enthusiast. Black and white. Winchester City - YouTube Winchester City Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Mar 18, 2014 Winchester is a historic city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South England.

The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of the River Itchen. At the time of the 2001 Census, Winchester had a population of 41,420. Winchester developed from the Roman town of Venta Belgarum, which developed from an Iron Age oppidum. Winchester's major landmark is Winchester Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, with the distinction of having the longest nave and overall length of all Gothic cathedrals in Europe. The town is also home to the University of Winchester and the famous public school, Winchester College. The city's architectural and historic interest, and its fast links to other towns and cities have led Winchester to become one of the most expensive and desirable areas of the country. A person who is from or resides in Winchester is sometimes locally known as a Wintonian. Created with Corel VideoStudio.

Question: Venta Belgarum was the Roman name for which English city?
Answer: WINCHESTER